Leica M11-P Review by Jonathan Slack

[Al Brown]

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13 minutes ago, hdmesa said:

Or they’re just not buying expensive homes, cars, and boats 🤷‍♂️

A true Leicaman should do it all plus watches.

[hdmesa]

Just now, Al Brown said:

A true Leicaman should do it all plus watches.

We are a dying breed quite literally 🫠

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[Kwesi]

I think Leica's strategy of simultaneously tapping into the "money no object market" and nurturing young talent through grants, scholarships and awards is a pretty solid one.

It's just us old timers who are feeling the pinch. But truth be told, we already have all the Leica stuff we need.

[scott kirkpatrick]

4 minutes ago, Kwesi said:

It's just us old timers who are feeling the pinch. But truth be told, we already have all the Leica stuff we need.

And so does Leica.  The SL super-APO 21 finally shipped.  for the M line they are starting to reissue lenses with closer focusing, but no new optical formulas (meaning there may have been a decision not to even try APO-ing a 24 or 21).  I guess I will just have to get good use out of what I've got and not sit all winter waiting for the next new thing. 

[newtoleica]

12 hours ago, scott kirkpatrick said:

And so does Leica.  The SL super-APO 21 finally shipped.  for the M line they are starting to reissue lenses with closer focusing, but no new optical formulas (meaning there may have been a decision not to even try APO-ing a 24 or 21).  I guess I will just have to get good use out of what I've got and not sit all winter waiting for the next new thing. 

True, there's nothing I want for as I am quite good in not wanting stuff just because its there... I have a ruthless one in one out policy and will cull gear that's not used for a year. I've been doing street photography since 1977 (15yrs old then) and my current gear is only: M10-P (sweet spot value wise of the M line), M7 (not used much this year but when I have more time I do shoot B&W film and process/print it). 24 Summilux - love the rendering. 35 Summilux v1 (ditto) and after much much deliberation an APO Summicron 50 (It just has an edge for me on the Summilux ASPH for 3-D rendering). No need to upgrade and nothing else needed. I looked at a 10-M closely but I don't think it adds anything under ISO 25,000 that the 10-P can't do (no where near the stark difference between the M9 and MM v1).

[jonoslack]

13 hours ago, hdmesa said:

Or they’re just not buying expensive homes, cars, and boats 🤷‍♂️

Or they just have a lot of money!

[jonoslack]

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13 hours ago, hdmesa said:

We are a dying breed quite literally 🫠

Well, at Wetzlar recently there were brand new Daytonas (and even more exotic watches) together with silver noctiluxes, customised cameras  etc. etc. Whether they also have expensive houses and boats I couldn't tell, but I see no reason why they wouldn't. Five years ago the declining demographic argument might have held some water, but certainly not anymore! 

[Al Brown]

5 hours ago, jonoslack said:

Well, at Wetzlar recently there were brand new Daytonas (and even more exotic watches) together with silver noctiluxes, customised cameras  etc. etc. Whether they also have expensive houses and boats I couldn't tell, but I see no reason why they wouldn't. Five years ago the declining demographic argument might have held some water, but certainly not anymore! 

Damn, I have 5 special edition Leicas, 5 special edition lenses and only a Submariner.

[jonoslack]

10 minutes ago, Al Brown said:

Damn, I have 5 special edition Leicas, 5 special edition lenses and only a Submariner.

Well Al - I don't have any special edition lenses or cameras, just the 3 prototype bodies, oh, and a GMT - but then I'm part of the declining demographic, not one of those sweet young things with all the shiny fun toys!

[LocalHero1953]

14 minutes ago, jonoslack said:

Well Al - I don't have any special edition lenses or cameras, just the 3 prototype bodies, oh, and a GMT - but then I'm part of the declining demographic, not one of those sweet young things with all the shiny fun toys!

Did you get an impression of their staying power in photography? Are they younger photographers who have more money than we did, young people with money who want to buy expensive brand cameras, or has Leica just worked out how to sell expensive cameras to younger photographers?

[jonoslack]

5 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said:

Did you get an impression of their staying power in photography? Are they younger photographers who have more money than we did, young people with money who want to buy expensive brand cameras, or has Leica just worked out how to sell expensive cameras to younger photographers?

Yes Paul - they seemed to me to be people who were serious photographers and were seriously into Leica - not as an expensive brand, but as something iconic which they could relate to, and be challenged by. They had all paid good money (and if you live in the US that's lots) to come to the LSI meeting, and it appears like they had a lot of fun - late night evenings in the bar were fun and funny - and most of them were seriously achieved and interesting in exciting and interesting employment, 

 

[LocalHero1953]

That’s good to hear!

[BillCB]

Cost is a very relative thing. At heart I've been a medium format guy using Phase One gear. As I age I'm feeling the weight and am using Leica more and more - and it seems relatively cheap!

[scott kirkpatrick]

On 12/2/2023 at 5:37 PM, BillCB said:

Cost is a very relative thing. At heart I've been a medium format guy using Phase One gear. As I age I'm feeling the weight and am using Leica more and more - and it seems relatively cheap!

At one point, I was flying small single and twin-engine aircraft to interesting places in N. America for 200+ hours per year (back in the 1990's).  Now THAT makes keeping my Leica properly equipped seem inexpensive.

[Warton]

On 11/29/2023 at 11:46 AM, Al Brown said:

Damn, I have 5 special edition Leicas, 5 special edition lenses and only a Submariner.

I am better than you, I have 3 leicai digital, 2 film, but a submariner, a datejust, and a daydate

[jakontil]

On 11/29/2023 at 11:46 PM, Al Brown said:

Damn, I have 5 special edition Leicas, 5 special edition lenses and only a Submariner.

 

On 11/30/2023 at 5:46 AM, jonoslack said:

Yes Paul - they seemed to me to be people who were serious photographers and were seriously into Leica - not as an expensive brand, but as something iconic which they could relate to, and be challenged by. They had all paid good money (and if you live in the US that's lots) to come to the LSI meeting, and it appears like they had a lot of fun - late night evenings in the bar were fun and funny - and most of them were seriously achieved and interesting in exciting and interesting employment, 

 

Enough enough.. you both richer than me i almost have nothing to show off

[Al Brown]

46 minutes ago, jakontil said:

 

Enough enough.. you both richer than me i almost have nothing to show off

According to forum members' posts and flexing I am somewhere in the bottom 5%
 

[Smudgerer]

On 12/2/2023 at 11:37 PM, BillCB said:

Cost is a very relative thing. At heart I've been a medium format guy using Phase One gear. As I age I'm feeling the weight and am using Leica more and more - and it seems relatively cheap!

Actually cinematography equipment makes Leica gear seem inexpensive, even 20+ years ago I was spending +/-10K each on prime lenses and good cine zooms could be well over +50K, the cameras could be around 100K without lenses and film magazines would set you back +8K apiece. Even when I first bought my Leica M2's and lenses back in the late 60's they were quite an investment at that time, not cheap compared to the Nikons that were part of my working kit too, but then you could buy a decent house in the country with a few acres then for 5K as I did and I note that the same property sold some 10 years back for +800K......So everything is relative I guess, 

[Al Brown]

20 minutes ago, Smudgerer said:

Actually cinematography equipment makes Leica gear seem inexpensive, even 20+ years ago I was spending +/-10K each on prime lenses and good cine zooms could be well over +50K, the cameras could be around 100K without lenses and film magazines would set you back +8K apiece. Even when I first bought my Leica M2's and lenses back in the late 60's they were quite an investment at that time, not cheap compared to the Nikons that were part of my working kit too, but then you could buy a decent house in the country with a few acres then for 5K as I did and I note that the same property sold some 10 years back for +800K......So everything is relative I guess, 

Very true.
With Leica the real elefant b*itch in the room are the special editions. Same camera but different paint, trim and engraving. "That would be 20K extra please, but we throw in the wooden box for free."

Edited December 5, 2023 by Al Brown

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[Smudgerer]

On 12/5/2023 at 12:26 PM, Al Brown said:

Very true.
With Leica the real elefant b*itch in the room are the special editions. Same camera but different paint, trim and engraving. "That would be 20K extra please, but we throw in the wooden box for free."

Well yes, but in my opinion such are for the stupidly gullible and if Leica can profit from them then all power to it. There's no cure for stupid.